CEO Stories with Jonathan Herps

If your company is hitting a growth ceiling, it’s probably not your strategy. It’s more than likely your team.

Maybe you’ve outgrown certain players. Maybe your systems aren’t giving you the clarity to lead decisively. Either way, it’s costing you.

In this episode, Jonathan Herps reveals the same framework he’s used to coach CEOs across six countries helping them turn underperformance into momentum, and chaos into clarity.

Whether you're leading 10 or 900 people, this is the structure smart leaders rely on to scale without the stress.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Designing performance systems that motivate the right activity and bridge the gap between effort and results (01:20)
• How to assess team performance with clarity and spot hidden engagement issues before they cost you (02:48)
• Seven powerful questions every CEO should ask before deciding whether to coach, redeploy, or let someone go (06:29)
• How a simple quarterly rhythm can transform company culture and unlock award-winning performance (10:33)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Structure beats guessing. You don’t have to rely on gut feel to evaluate your team. Use objective tools to lead with clarity, not confusion.
• Leadership is about rhythm. Quarterly check-ins, not annual reviews, drive momentum, accountability, and real connection.
• A-players crave clarity. They want to know how they’re doing and what success looks like. Give them a scoreboard they can win at.
• The right person, the wrong seat. Not every team issue is a firing problem. Sometimes it’s a redeployment opportunity.
• No drama, no doubt. The best leaders don’t tolerate internal drama. They assess, act and move on because the cost of indecision is too high.

This episode is a must-listen for any founder, CEO, or business owner who wants to lead with purpose, scale with confidence, and build a team that drives results.

Listen in now. Your next leadership breakthrough could be just one framework away.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Most leaders don’t realise they’re holding onto the wrong people until it’s costing them growth. 

In this episode, Jonathan breaks down a simple, no-fluff method for figuring out whether your team is built to scale, or if they’re actually stalling your potential.

Forget annual reviews and bloated org charts. This is about making sharp, data-informed decisions that protect your people and your profitability. You’ll learn how to separate high-performers from dead weight, develop the right players, and lead with metrics that actually move the needle.

You’ll hear about what bare ass minimums really mean for leadership and execution, how to design KPIs that predict success instead of just tracking it, and the quiet difference between strategy on paper and results in reality.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Why annual appraisals are a waste of time and what to do instead (01:05)
• How to use scorecards to define role clarity, boost leadership performance, and build a team that drives profit (03:00)
• Why defining your team’s bare asked minimums (BAMs) is the KPI shift that unlocks consistent, predictable growth (06:06)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Stop relying on annual performance reviews. Quarterly talent reviews give you real-time clarity on who’s helping the business grow and who’s holding it back.
• Assess your team like a strategic asset. Regularly evaluate every team member using objective criteria, not just loyalty or tenure.
• Topgrade with intention. Aim for 80% A-players and accept a short-term 20% B-player allowance, as long as they’re developing fast.
• Get serious about mission-driven KPIs. Tie every role’s key metrics to the company’s mission and profitability, not just generic job duties.
• Set Bare Ass Minimums (BAMs) to define non-negotiables. Clarify the absolute minimum effort required to move the needle in each role, especially in sales and leadership.
• Lead with both compassion and conviction. Caring about people doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations. Protect the business and the person.
• Leadership development isn’t optional. Every leadership team member needs a growth plan. Without it, you’re flying blind on future performance.

If you're serious about building a business that scales beyond you, it starts with building the team that can carry it.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

You don’t lose sleep over strategy. You lose sleep over your team.

You’ve got the vision, the drive, the plan and yet your days are hijacked by people problems, dropped balls, and the exhausting loop of managing dysfunction. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t my team just execute?” then this episode is for you.

In this episode, Jonathan Herps opens his playbook and breaks down why most founders get hiring wrong and what to do instead. From defining roles that attract the right people to building a team that delivers without needing you to prop them up, this is a masterclass in leadership that actually scales.

Jonathan shares the tools, filters, and mental models he’s used to help founders build businesses powered by values-aligned, execution-obsessed teams. From startup missteps to strategic hiring frameworks, this conversation is a crash course in building a company that actually runs and grows without you propping it up every day.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• The silent way CEOs sabotage team performance without realising it (05:19)
• A smarter way to define roles so you get the right people, not just the available ones (06:38)
• The delegation quadrant every scaling CEO needs to use for team design (10:57)
• What to do when you can’t afford A-players, yet  (16:13)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• People problems are usually clarity problems. Vague expectations equal inconsistent execution.
• Your org chart is a mirror. If your team is underperforming, it reflects your tolerance and blind spots as a leader.
• A-players exist at every budget level. It’s not just about salary. It’s about values alignment and trainable potential.
• Team design is strategy. Who does what (and why) is as critical as what you sell.

If you’re serious about scaling, it starts with building the right team and letting go of the wrong people.

Listen in now and upgrade how you lead your people from the inside out.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

If your business can’t run without you, it’s not a business. It’s a job in disguise. You see, scaling stops the moment you become the bottleneck.

In this solo episode, Jonathan Herps takes us inside his own journey. From commanding armored reconnaissance in the Australian Army Reserve to leading five companies as CEO, Jonathan pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a business without staying stuck in it.

He shares what most CEOs miss about building teams, the biggest mistake scaling founders make, and what changes when you finally step into the real role of leadership.

This one’s for every CEO who's built something solid, but knows there's another level waiting.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Jonathan’s backstory that shaped his leadership style today (00:00)
• The mindset shift from doer to leader (03:13)
• The 3-Year CEO scale plan that changes everything for you and your business (04:08)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Scaling isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less of the wrong things.
• Your team won’t lead unless you let go.
• Systems are the only way to buy back your time.
• You don’t need to choose between profit and freedom (you can have both!).
• Most businesses hit a ceiling because their CEO refuses to change roles.

If you want to stop running your business like a firefighter and start leading like a real CEO, tune in as ths episode will show you the mindset to finally break through that ceiling.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

There are moments in business where someone says the quiet part out loud, and everything shifts. 

Jonathan Herps shares the behind-the-scenes of the Ritz Carlton, a company that scaled fast, learned faster, and is still evolving by listening to the people closest to the work. 

This isn’t just a story about growth. It’s a lesson in what happens when leaders empower their teams, simplify the mission, and commit to delivering an experience so good it becomes legendary.

You’ll hear about why a luxury hotel chain became the unexpected north star for operational excellence and the story of how junior team members quietly cracked the code for a better customer process. 

These aren’t your typical leadership stories. They’re gritty, human, and refreshingly honest, and they’ll leave you rethinking how to lead.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Why the “Make It Easy” business strategy matters (01:22)
• Turning ordinary service into unforgettable stories (01:45)
• Why leaders must design systems that empower people to think, not just follow (03:16)
• A story of frontline excellence that’s still selling operating tables years later (05:17)
• When your cleaners and coordinators start designing better systems than your execs (07:42)
• The power of asking your team “What’s not working?” and truly listening (09:25)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Simplify to scale: The companies that scale fastest make it easier for customers, teams, and partners to do business with them.
• Empower from the edges: Your frontline staff often see what leadership can’t. Giving them the authority to improve systems can unlock smarter, faster ways to serve customers and drive growth.
• Design for delight: Operational excellence isn't just about efficiency. It’s also about surprising people in small ways that make them talk about you. 
• Create story-worthy moments: Legendary service stories don’t happen by accident. They come from a culture where people are trusted to do what’s right.

If you're serious about building a business that lasts, and a team that leads with heart, this episode is your reminder that real growth doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from doing what matters, better.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Scaling isn’t all about having the perfect plan. It’s also about staying steady when nothing goes to plan.

In this conversation, I sit down with Nathan Wardell, the third-generation business leader behind Packserv, one of Australia’s last-standing, locally-owned manufacturers of packaging equipment. From the weight of legacy to the grit it takes to rebuild from scratch, Nathan opens up about the moments that shaped his leadership and how he’s scaled his business by thinking differently.

We dive into the deeply human side of leadership: discipline, patience, and what it means to back yourself when the pressure hits. Nathan also shares how he turned adversity into innovation, why resilience is underrated, and what it looks like to empower a team to think and act like owners.

If you’re a CEO or business owner navigating change, growth, or just the day-to-day madness of running a company, you’ll get a lot out of this one.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Nathan’s origin story and how commitment to mastery always pays off (01:02)
• Daily habits that build mental toughness (08:28)
• Presence, not perfection, is what really builds trust and longevity in balancing leadership and life (11:24)
• Why resilience paired with diversification is a growth advantage (12:40)
• What keeps great leaders steady when everything else shakes (18:14)
• Why growth is about clarity, consistency, and the courage to stay the course (20:00)
• How embracing the messiness of life can fuel more authentic leadership (21:28)
• How creating a culture of autonomy unlocks scale (23:21)
• The value of resilience and playing the long game in scaling a business (27:48)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Discipline off the field matters. Physical routines and life experiences shape mental resilience.
• Let go of control to lead better. Real leadership means stepping back, not in.
• Don’t wait for perfect market conditions. Adapt your model to meet the moment.
• Train your team to bring solutions, not just problems.
• There’s power in diversification.

This episode will leave you thinking differently about leadership, longevity, and what it means to build a business that not only survives, but evolves.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Many people assume CEOs are living the dream.  Power, high salaries, and total freedom. But behind the scenes, it’s a different story.  There’s constant pressure, isolation, and nonstop decision-making.

In this episode, Jonathan Herps cuts through the surface-level glamour to reveal the real story…  

Leadership at the top is brutal if you go at it alone.

With over 35 years of experience leading and coaching companies across multiple continents, Jonathan shares a proven blueprint that has helped CEOs go from stressed and stagnant to scaling with confidence and control. 

You’ll learn how to break past revenue ceilings, realign your team, master conflict, and grow a company that runs and thrives, without you burning out in the process.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• The lonely truths about being a CEO that no one talks about (00:00)
• How one framework can help you grow faster while working less (01:45)
• What decades of frontline leadership experience have revealed (02:36)
• Why getting a coach is not a weakness but a competitive advantage (05:54)
• A bold guarantee and a no-risk offer that could change how you lead, grow, and live (06:26)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• You don’t have to do it all yourself. In fact, that’s what’s holding you back.
• Great leadership starts with internal clarity, not external strategy.
• Scaling isn’t about working more, it’s about thinking differently.
• A powerful framework beats guesswork every time.
• Real growth happens when you’re willing to get support and implement it with courage.

What if getting out of the weeds is the first step to 10x growth?

This is the kind of raw, real, and radically useful conversation that every founder or executive leader needs to hear, especially if you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one struggling to keep it together at the top.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Growing a business is more than just focusing on the numbers.  It’s about having the right mindset, the strategy, and the resilience to keep pushing forward.

In this episode, Jonathan Herps sits down with Jon Hui, Founder and CEO of Easy Truck Rental, to discuss the realities of scaling a company from the ground up. With rapid growth in just two years, Jon shares the critical leadership insights, decision-making frameworks, and hard-earned lessons that have shaped his entrepreneurial journey.

From building a team that thrives, to letting go of control in order to scale, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways for business owners and CEOs navigating the challenges of growth.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• How Jon identified a market opportunity and built a business model around simplicity (01:03)
• Expanding while managing risks (05:30)
• Effectively structuring your time for maximum impact in a fast-scaling business (09:22)
• Why stepping back is the hardest and smartest move for a CEO (12:05)
• How simplifying operations drives growth and why delegation prevents burnout (20:10)
• How leaders foster trust, accountability, and a motivated team (28:23)
• The two most powerful pieces of advice that shaped Jon’s leadership (33:17)
• What makes a leadership team truly great (35:43)
• How self-awareness and learning the art of listening reshapes leadership, curbs ego, and drives better decisions (37:39)
• Why filtering advice matters and balancing opinions aids better decision-making (42:37)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Effective leadership requires trust, not micromanagement.
• Scaling means shifting from working in the business, to working on it.
• Your ability to communicate, delegate, and build the right team is your growth accelerator.
• Creating a high-performance leadership team means giving people ownership and autonomy.
• If your business depends on you being in every detail, you don’t own a company - you have a job.

Tune in to hear Jon’s candid reflections on scaling a high-growth company, the leadership evolution required to succeed, and why the hardest lesson for any CEO is learning to let go.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Success in business isn’t just about setting goals. It’s about crafting a vision so compelling that your entire organisation rallies behind it. 

In this episode of Stories of Scale, Jonathan Herps breaks down the strategy behind a client’s remarkable transformation.

Three years ago, this CEO was overwhelmed, his company’s growth had plateaued, and accountability was slipping. Fast forward to today, and the business has not only hit every ambitious goal but is now set up for even greater success.

We did this through the power of a Three-Year Vivid Vision. It’s a detailed, future-focused roadmap that aligned leadership, engaged employees, and turned strategy into reality.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• How a clear, compelling vision shifts a company from firefighting mode to unstoppable momentum (01:19)
• The three critical steps to crafting a clear, actionable three-year vision that aligns your team, sharpens your strategy, and turns ambitious goals into reality (04:53)
• Why stepping away from the chaos can be the most strategic move you make for your business’ future (06:11)
• How one CEO transformed his business by mapping out a detailed, immersive three-year vision (07:00)
• The value of focusing on high-value projects, building an elite team, and eliminating distractions (10:46)
• The customer experience shift that turned clients into raving fans (12:18)
• How to escape the day-to-day grind, build a 90% A-player team, and create a business where employees are invested in success  (14:09)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Clarity drives execution. A great vision isn’t just inspirational. It’s detailed, actionable, and crystal clear so every team member knows exactly how they contribute.
• High-value clients over high-volume sales. Scaling isn’t about selling more. It’s about selling smarter. Focusing on high-value clients leads to bigger wins with less burnout.
• The CEO’s three roles. A leader’s job isn’t to put out fires. It’s to operationalize strategy, develop people, and manage cash. Master these, and you’ll scale with confidence.

The future of your business depends on the vision you create today. Tune in now and take your leadership to the next level!

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Scaling a business isn’t just about rapid growth. It’s about creating a strong foundation, making strategic decisions, and assembling the right team to sustain long-term success.

In this episode, Jonathan Herps is joined by Helder Klemp, co-founder and CEO of DNX Solutions, to discuss the pivotal leadership lessons he’s learned while growing his company from the ground up. From hiring A-players to making operations predictable and stress-free, Helder shares the insights that helped him shift from a hands-on founder to a strategic CEO.

This episode is packed with practical takeaways on scaling, leadership, and building a resilient company. Whether you're a CEO, business owner, or executive, you'll gain valuable lessons from Helder’s journey, from bootstrapping a startup to running a thriving business.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Transitioning from a technical founder to a strategic CEO (01:23)
• Why hiring the right people is the key to sustainable growth (08:38)
• The power of deep focus, data-driven decisions, and disciplined systems to drive sustainable business growth (12:40)
• Why saying no and letting go are keys to success (16:53)
• Why hiring A-players fuels growth and why settling for less costs more in the long run (20:26)
• How financial literacy empowers leaders to make smarter decisions, secure funding, and scale with confidence (24:14)
• Why charisma is essential for effective leadership (26:26)
• Why sales is the foundation of scaling (33:50)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Scaling isn’t just about growth. It’s also about focus, discipline, and strategy.
• Hiring the right people early prevents burnout and accelerates success.
• Letting go and empowering a leadership team is the only way to scale.
• Cash flow mastery is non-negotiable for sustainable business growth.
• Making operations predictable and structured is the key to long-term success.

WHERE TO FIND HELDER KLEMP

• Website: https://dnx.solutions/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helderklemp/ 

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupos.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jonathanherps

Email: [email protected] 

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now: 

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now! 

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template 
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth. 
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here